Top Ten Diva-licious Actresses In Musical Biopics

Have you ever imagined who would play you in a biopic of your life? For [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Stevie Nicks[/lastfm] of [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Fleetwood Mac[/lastfm], she knows exactly who she doesn’t want playing her–[lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Lindsay Lohan[/lastfm].

Although Nicks has also battled drug abuse, after it was conjectured that Lohan could easily play the rebellious blonde singer-songwriter Nicks told CNN that Lohan would get that opportunity “over her dead body” unless she “stops doing drugs” and “gets a grip.”

On top of Nicks’ dissent, the art of the musical biopic is hard to master. Most of them fail miserably, because the actress playing the artist has to forgo her ego and play a more daring, talented diva than herself. This made us consider all the female-centric musical biopics that did work, so we culled together our Top Ten Diva-Licious Actresses in Musical Biopics.

10.[lastfm link_type=”artist_info”] Bob Dylan[/lastfm] (played by Cate Blanchett)-I’m Not There

Photo by Ethan Miller//Getty Images

Despite being the best actress on this list, Academy Award winning Cate Blanchett gets planted firmly at number ten because she played folk singer-songwriter Bob Dylan–a man. Even though this list is about “divas,” we couldn’t leave Blanchett off simply because her version of Dylan was one of the most amazing feats of acting we’ve ever seen.

We vaguely recall some dissension on Etta James part when she found out she was being played by Beyoncé. But even though the sultry, soulful singer might have been suspect of having such a pretty-princess pop star playing a version of her in Cadillac Records, we think Beyoncé did a fine job competing with Ms. James’ vocals.

When foxy Jessica Lange played “plain jane” Pasty Cline in the 1985 biopic, Sweet Dreams, she had to focus on the Cline’s inner beauty and the majesty of her voice. For the record, we think Cline was very pretty and Lange did a great job of capturing all of Cline’s beauty.

While critics sat laughing at Diana Ross’ overly wrought performance of Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues, we think Ross did a beautiful job of singing Holiday’s songs, if not conveying her essence through spoken word accurately. It’s one of those situations where you have to keep in mind that Ross is a singer, not an actress.

This 1983 biopic was based on a book called I, Tina written by Tina Turner and Kurt Loder. Although [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Whitney Houston[/lastfm] was initially offered the role of Turner, while Halle Berry, Robin Givens, Pam Grier, [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Vanessa Williams[/lastfm] and [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Janet Jackson[/lastfm] were all in the running for the role.

Eventually, Bassett won the grand prize which led her to winning a Golden Globe for Best Actress and an Academy Award nomination.

While critics were lavishing praise on Dakota Fanning for her portrayal of [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Cherie Currie[/lastfm] in The Runaways, our acting nod goes to the cool, collected Kristen Stewart who played Joan Jett with impeccable accuracy–and without all the jailbait fanfare. Stewart was also pre-approved by Joan Jett and have been seen hanging out in real life.

Sissy Spacek won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter–a role that Loretta Lynn hand-picked Spacek for from a photo. Spacek was evidently hesitant to play the role, but due to Lynn’s public announcement of who would play her and a “sign” (the song “Coal Miner’s Daughter” playing on the radio), Spacek played Lynn and it paid off.

3.[lastfm link_type=”artist_info”] June Carter[/lastfm] (played by Reese Witherspoon)-Walk The Line

Photo by Marianna Masey//Getty Images

While Walk The Line was an expertly acted film about Johnny Cash (played by Joaquin Phoenix), Reese Witherspoon did a fabulous job playing his musically inclined wife, June Carter.

Witherspoon made us believe the chemistry between her and Phoenix as a he played the tortured, struggling musician and she played the effervescent, yet frustrated wife who also happened to be a musician.

Considered by many as the role that made her the star that she is today, some speculate that if Jennifer Lopez hadn’t played the “Mexican Madonna,” Selena, she might have just become another one-hit wonder in the world of late ’90s latin pop.

After years of watching Lopez grow and change has a woman and artist, we think she would have gone far by herself, but her amazing acting as the role of the tragically murdered Selena did help.

When relatively new French actress, Marion Cotillard, won an Academy Award for her performance as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose, the world was happily surprised because no Oscar had ever been given for a French-language role.

After sobbing through an entire film and completely awed by its emotional representation of such a pivotal French singer, we knew that Marion Cotillard would be sitting pretty as our number one pick.

Who is your favorite musical biopic diva? Let us know in the comments!